Effects of 3-dimensional porous graphene oxide network on solid-state sensors

Abstract

The three-dimensional porous graphene networks (3DPGN) is recently developed graphene material. They possess both the highest mobility of graphene material and the increased surface areas possessed by the porous micro 3D structure. These powerful graphene materials have been exploited to be super-capacitors, batteries, biomedical sensors and other bioengineering applications. In this work, their foundational functions for solid-state sensors are examined with the use of 3D porous graphene oxide (GO) network (3DPGON) as proof-of-concept. Its effects on the classical glass-chemical-electrodes (GCEs) and the pH-sensing light addressable potentiometric sensor are examined, respectively. It is found that the peak currents of 3DPGON film coated GCEs are increased with the increased 3DPGON, while the LAPS’ responding for pH are lowered. The increased currents of GCE are attributed to the enhanced electron transfer (ET) by GO and the enlarged surface area by micro-porous structure. While the lowered pH responding of LAPS is caused by the screen effect induced by 3DPGON coating. In conclusion, the decoration of 3DPGON on solid-state sensors should be considered seriously, it can enhance the total amount of charges exchanging at the liquid-solid interface which is propitious to forming solid-state sensor, but the drawback of 3DPGON modification does exist because the original surface sensing sites may be covered.